3 Pence - George II incl. Maundy (1729–1760)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1729–1760 |
| Denomination | 3 Pence |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Series | Maundy Money |
| Circulation | Non-circulating |
| Demonetised | Yes |
| Composition | Silver (.925) (925/1000 fine) |
| Weight | 1.500g · 0.0446 t oz |
| Diameter | 17.0mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Laureate and draped bust of King George II left, legend around.
GEORGIVS II DEI GRATIA
Central denomination below crown dividing date, legend around.
MAG BRI FR ET HIB REX
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Daily limit reachedAbout the 1729 3 Pence - George II incl. Maundy
The 1729 3 Pence - George II incl. Maundy is a collector 3 pence coin issued from 1729 to 1760 in the Maundy Money series, struck in 92.5% silver. It weighs 1.5g and measures 17mm across. Reverse design: Central denomination below crown dividing date, legend around.
It is no longer legal tender, so its value is to collectors only.
Common questions
How much is the 1729 3 Pence - George II incl. Maundy worth?
No verified sale of the 1729 3 Pence - George II incl. Maundy has been logged on MyCoinage yet. Its silver content is worth about £1.79 at today's spot price, which puts a floor under its value.
Which years were George II threepences made?
Wikipedia and Tony Clayton both give 1729, 1731, 1732, 1735, 1737, 1739, 1740, 1743, 1746 and 1760. There is no threepence between 1746 and 1760, the year of George II's death.
Why does a 1760 threepence show a young George II?
Wikipedia notes that, unusually, the same young portrait was used on the threepence throughout the reign, even though the other denominations took an older portrait from 1743. The 1760 coin therefore shows the King as he looked decades earlier.
How many were minted?
No mintage figures are published for any date of George II's threepence. Wikipedia records that silver was too costly for much silver coinage between 1727 and 1816, and the threepence was struck in only ten years of the reign.
Is a George II threepence legal tender?
Technically yes. Wikipedia's Royal Maundy article describes Maundy coins as legal tender, and Tony Clayton notes the series was revalued as new pence in 1971, though a coin of this age is only ever collected.
How do I identify the 1729 3 Pence - George II incl. Maundy?
Check the weight 1.5g and diameter 17mm and the metal (92.5% silver) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
Tony Clayton writes that a regular series of dated silver threepences began in 1670, with a number of gaps until 1800, and gives the usual weight before 1800 as 1.5 g and the diameter as 17 mm. Under George II it was dated 1729, 1731, 1732, 1735, 1737, 1739, 1740, 1743, 1746 and 1760, the dates both Wikipedia and Clayton list.
Wikipedia's history of the penny says that between 1727 and 1816 silver cost too much for much silver coinage, and the Royal Maundy article records that coins higher than the penny are not known in the Maundy gift before 1731. Only from 1752 were coins not struck for circulation used in the distribution, so the threepence of George II served both purposes. No mintage figures are published for any date.
The obverse shows a laureate, draped bust of George II in armour facing left, with GEORGIVS II DEI GRATIA. The reverse has a crowned numeral 3 within MAG BRI FR ET HIB REX and the date. A Science Museum Group threepence of 1760 matches this description and weighs 1.52 g.
Wikipedia notes that, unusually, the same young portrait was used on the threepence for the whole reign, even after an older portrait appeared on other denominations in 1743. The crowned numeral reverse dates from 1689; the Royal Maundy article says its designer is unknown, though Richard Lobel suggests George Bower.
Varieties and errors
Clayton lists a 1731 threepence with small lettering, 1732 and 1743 coins both with and without a stop above the King's head, and a 1746 with the 6 over a 3.
Collecting notes
Check the date and look above the head for the stop that separates the varieties of 1732 and 1743. The Maundy twopence and fourpence share the crowned numeral design. Clayton notes that the Maundy series was revalued in new pence in 1971.
Sources
The history, design, varieties and collecting notes on this page are drawn from these sources. Prices come from recorded sales, not from them.
- Threepence (British coin), Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Three Pence, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Values of Three Pence coins, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Threepence coin of George II, 1760 (V&A no. 1790-1902), Science Museum Group, via Museum Data Service (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Royal Maundy, Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- History of the British penny (1714 to 1901), Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Maundy Money, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
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